College basketball TV analyst and former Duke assistant Chris Spatola, Coach K's son-in-law, dies at 47
Key Points:
- Chris Spatola, a 47-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst and former Army Black Knights starting guard, has passed away, ESPN announced.
- Spatola played under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke as an assistant coach from 2007 to 2012, contributing to the 2010 NCAA championship win.
- Before his broadcasting career, Spatola served five years in the Army, including deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the Joint Service Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal.
- ESPN praised Spatola for his thoughtful, prepared, and passionate approach to college basketball, highlighting his respected status among colleagues, coaches, players, and fans.
- Spatola finished his college basketball career with 1,543 points, ranking him among Army’s top 10 all-time scorers.